U.S. patent number 6,332,791 [Application Number 09/811,409] was granted by the patent office on 2001-12-25 for card connector with card-ejecting device.
This patent grant is currently assigned to FCI Taiwan Limited. Invention is credited to Shun-Jung Chuang, Chan-Ming Hsu, Wen-Yen Liu, Fang-Ping Wang, Leland Wang.
United States Patent |
6,332,791 |
Wang , et al. |
December 25, 2001 |
Card connector with card-ejecting device
Abstract
A card connector includes a base plate with an accommodating
groove, a card-ejecting device, and a retainer for retaining the
card-ejecting device on the baseplate. The accommodating groove has
an open front end and a closed rear end, and is adapted to receive
a card therein. The card has a front end extending from the front
end of the groove, and a rear end that is spaced apart from the
rear end of the groove at a small distance. When the front end of
the card is pressed inwardly to move the rear end of the card to
the rear end of the groove, and is subsequently released, the
card-ejecting device pushes the card outwardly relative to the
connector. Accordingly, the card can be ejected with ease.
Inventors: |
Wang; Leland (Taipei,
TW), Liu; Wen-Yen (Taoyuan Hsien, TW), Hsu;
Chan-Ming (Chung-Li, TW), Wang; Fang-Ping
(Hsinchu, TW), Chuang; Shun-Jung (Ping-Chen,
TW) |
Assignee: |
FCI Taiwan Limited (Taoyuan
Hsien, TW)
|
Family
ID: |
21673288 |
Appl.
No.: |
09/811,409 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2001 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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|
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Sep 29, 2000 [TW] |
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089216937 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
439/159 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06K
13/08 (20130101); G06K 13/0806 (20130101); G06K
13/0825 (20130101); H01R 13/635 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G06K
13/02 (20060101); G06K 13/08 (20060101); H01R
13/635 (20060101); H01R 13/633 (20060101); H01R
013/62 () |
Field of
Search: |
;439/159,152,153,155,157,160,64 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Patel; Tulsidas
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Baker Botts L.L.P.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A card connector adapted for insertion of a card therein, the
card having a front end and a rear end, said connector
comprising:
an elongated base plate having a first side surface, a front end, a
rear end, a left side, a right side, and an accommodating groove
that is formed in said first side surface of said base plate and
that extends from said front end of said base plate to said rear
end of said base plate, said groove having an open front end and a
closed rear end and being adapted to receive the card therein in
such a manner that the card is disposed at a retracted position,
where the front end of the card extends from said open front end of
said groove and where a space is present between the rear end of
the card and said closed rear end of said groove;
a card-ejecting device adapted to push the card outwardly relative
to said groove to an extended portion in a longitudinal direction
of said base plate when the front end of the card is pressed
inwardly within said groove to move the rear end of the card to
said closed rear end of said groove, and is subsequently released;
and
a retainer for retaining said card-ejecting device on said base
plate;
wherein said card-ejecting device includes:
a slide slot formed in said right side of said base plate and
extending along length of said base plate;
a movable member, which is formed with an integral positioning
element that is adapted to abut against the rear end of the card so
as to move said movable member and the card synchronously when the
card is pressed inwardly relative to said base plate, said movable
member being retained at a first position, where the card is
disposed at the retracted position, and being moved, when the front
end of the card is pressed inwardly relative to said base plate to
move the rear end of the card to said closed rear end of said
groove and is subsequently released, to a second position, where
the card is disposed at the extended position where the front end
of the card can be pressed inwardly once again relative to said
base plate to move the rear end of the card to said closed rear end
of said groove, and subsequently released, thereby biasing the card
to the retracted position by means of said card-ejecting device,
said movable member being disposed slidably within said slide slot
and being slidable relative to said base plate in the longitudinal
direction of said base plate, said movable member being formed with
an integral first resilient arm;
a spring disposed between said movable member and said base plate
for biasing said movable member to move forward on said base
plate;
a link rod having a front end that is connected pivotally to said
movable member, and a rear end with an integral tongue that extends
perpendicularly therefrom, said first resilient arm of said movable
member pressing against said link rod, thereby biasing said link
rod to rotate in a predetermined direction; and
a guide slot formed in said first side surface of said base plate
for receiving said tongue of said link rod slidably therein, said
guide slot having an annular slot portion and a longitudinal front
slot portion that extends forward from a portion of said annular
slot portion and that has a rear end, and a closed front end, said
tongue of said link rod being biased by said spring to said front
end of said longitudinal front slot portion when said movable
member is located at said second position, said annular slot
portion having
a generally straight left slot portion extending rearward and
leftward from said rear end of said longitudinal front slot portion
and having a rear end,
a generally V-shaped rear slot portion extending rightward from
said rear end of said left slot portion and having a left end, a
right end, and a curved middle portion that is located midway
between and in front of said left and right ends, said tongue of
said link rod being disposed at said curved middle portion when
said movable member is located at said first position, and
a generally straight right slot portion extending forwardly and
rightward from said right end of said rear slot portion to said
rear end of said longitudinal front slot portion, said tongue being
movable from said curved middle portion of said V-shaped rear slot
portion to said right end of said V-shaped rear slot portion by
pressing inward the front end of the card so as to move the rear
end of the card to said closed rear end of said groove, after which
said tongue is biased, upon release of the card, by said spring and
said first resilient arm to said front end of said longitudinal
front slot portion via said right slot portion, said tongue being
movable from said longitudinal front slot portion to said left end
of said V-shaped rear slot portion via said left slot portion by
pressing inward the front end of the card so as to move the rear
end of the card to said closed rear end of said groove, after which
said tongue is biased, upon release of the card, by said spring and
said first resilient arm to said curved middle portion of said
V-shaped rear slot portion.
2. The card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said movable
member is made of metal, said positioning element being shaped as a
plate, which is parallel to said base plate and which is formed
with a pressed abutment portion that extends into said groove and
that is adapted to abut against the rear end of the card.
3. The card connector as claimed in claim 2, wherein said movable
member is formed with an integral second resilient arm, said first
and second resilient arms abutting against two opposite sides of
said link rod with no pressure being applied by said first and
second resilient arms to said link rod when said movable member is
disposed at said second position, in such a manner to direct said
link rod toward a junction between said left slot portion and said
longitudinal front slot portion, thereby guiding said tongue to
move into said left slot portion when said movable member is moved
from said second position to said first position.
4. The card connector as claimed in claim 3, wherein said right end
of said V-shaped rear slot portion is generally in line with said
longitudinal front slot portion, whereby, when said tongue moves
along said left slot portion, said first resilient arm flexes
relative to said positioning element so as to generate a
restoration force, which biases said tongue to move from said left
end of said V-shaped rear slot portion to said curved middle
portion of said V-shaped rear slot portion, and subsequently from
said curved middle portion of said V-shaped rear slot portion to
said right end of said V-shaped rear slot portion.
5. The card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said retainer
is shaped as a cover plate, which is mounted fixedly on said base
plate and which is parallel to said base plate, thereby preventing
removal of said movable member from said slide slot in said base
plate.
6. The card connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said cover
plate has a front side, which is formed with a trapezoid notch at a
middle portion thereof that is adjacent to said open front end of
said groove and that is adapted to facilitate insertion of the card
into said groove.
7. The card connector as claimed in claim 6, wherein said base
plate is generally rectangular, and has two long sides and two
short sides, said front end of said base plate having a curved
notch formed in one of said short sides, which is aligned with said
trapezoid notch in said cover plate, thereby further facilitating
the insertion of the card into said groove.
8. The card connector as claimed in claim 7, wherein said first
side surface of said base plate has two inclined guiding faces,
which are formed on said one of said short sides and which are
located on two sides of said curved notch, thereby further
facilitating the insertion of the card into said groove.
9. The card connector as claimed in claim 5, wherein said base
plate is formed with a plurality of retaining holes along an outer
periphery thereof, said cover plate being formed integrally with a
plurality of L-shaped clamping sheets that engage respectively said
retaining holes so as to clamp said base plate and said board
between said cover plate and said clamping sheets, thereby
interconnecting said base plate and said cover plate fixedly.
10. The card connector as claimed in claim 1, wherein said base
plate is formed with two aligned integral limiting elements, which
extend respectively from said left and right sides toward each
other and which define said open front end of said groove between
said base plate and said limiting elements.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a card connector, more particularly to a
card connector, which is provided with a card-ejecting device.
2. Description of the Related Art
When it is desired to remove a smart card from an electrical
connector, an ejecting rod (not shown) is inserted into the
connector so as to push the smart card outwardly from the same,
thereby resulting in inconvenience to the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of this invention is to provide a card connector with a
card-ejecting device, which can push a card outwardly relative to
the connector when the card is pressed inwardly to move a small
distance within the connector and is subsequently released.
According to this invention, a card connector includes a base plate
with an accommodating groove, a card-ejecting device, and a
retainer for retaining the card-ejecting device on the base plate.
The accommodating groove has an open front end and a closed rear
end, and is adapted to receive a card therein. The card has a front
end extending from the front end of the groove, and a rear end that
is spaced apart from the rear end of the groove at a small
distance. When the front end of the card is pressed inwardly to
move the rear end of the card to the rear end of the groove, and is
subsequently released, the card-ejecting device pushes the card
outwardly relative to the connector. Accordingly, the card can be
ejected with ease.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of this invention will
become apparent in the following detailed description of a
preferred embodiment of this invention, with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a partly exploded perspective view of the preferred
embodiment of a card connector according to this invention;
FIG. 2 is an assembled perspective view of the preferred
embodiment;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how the card is disposed at a retracted position;
FIG. 4 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how the card is disposed at an extended position;
FIG. 5 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how a sliding tongue is moved in a guide slot when the
card is pressed inwardly within an accommodating groove in order to
move the card from the extended position to the retracted
position;
FIG. 6 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating where the tongue is located in the guide slot when the
card is pressed inwardly to its rear limit position in order to
move the card from the extended position to the retracted
position;
FIG. 7 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how the tongue is biased, upon release of the card, by
a coiled tension spring from the position shown in FIG. 6 to a
curved middle portion of a generally V-shaped rear slot portion of
the guide slot so as to retain the card at the retracted
position;
FIG. 8 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating where the tongue is located in the guide slot when the
rear end of the card is moved to its rear limit position in order
to move the card from the retracted position to the extended
position;
FIG. 9 is a schematic fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how the tongue is biased, upon release of the card,
from the position shown in FIG. 8 to a right slot portion of the
guide slot; and
FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment,
illustrating how the card is disposed at the extended position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of a card
connector according to this invention is shown to include an
elongated base plate 3, a card-ejecting device 5, and a retainer in
the form of a cover plate 7. The connector is adapted for insertion
of a card 20 therein.
The base plate 3 has a first side surface 30, a front end 31, a
left side (32L), a right side (32R), a rear end 33, a plurality of
retaining holes 34, an accommodating groove 35, a plurality of
integral projections 37, and two aligned integral limiting elements
38. The retaining holes 34 are formed along an outer periphery of
the plate 3. The groove 35 is formed in the first side surface 30,
and extends from the front end 31 of the plate 3 to the rear end 33
of the plate 3. The limiting elements 38 extend respectively from
the left and right sides (32L, 32R) toward each other, and define
an open front end (35F) of the groove 35 between the plate 3 and
the limiting elements 38. The card 20 is disposed at a retracted
position shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, where a front end 21 of the card
20 extends from the open front end (35F) of the groove 35 and where
a space 39 is present between, a rear end 22 of the card 20 and a
closed rear end (35R) of the groove 35. As illustrated, the rear
end 22 is spaced apart from the rear end (35R) at only a small
distance. The plate 3 is generally rectangular, and has two long
sides, two short sides, and a curved notch 115 formed in one of the
short sides, thereby facilitating insertion of the card 20 into the
groove 35. On two sides of the curved notch 315, two inclined
guiding faces 313 are formed on the first side surface 30 of the
plate 3, thereby further facilitating the insertion of the card 20
into the groove 35.
The card-ejecting device 5 includes a metal movable member 51,
which is formed with an integral positioning element 511 that is
shaped as a plate and that is parallel to the plate 3. The
positioning element 511 is formed with a pressed abutment portion
513 that extends into the groove 35 and that is adapted to abut
against the rear end 22 of the card 20. The movable member 51 is
formed with an integral sliding element 512 which has an inverted
L-shaped cross-section and which is disposed slidably within a
slide slot 321 that is formed in the right side (32R) of the plate
3 and that extends along the length of the plate 3. As such, when
the card 20 is pressed inwardly in the groove 35 in a longitudinal
direction of the plate 3, the movable member 51 moves synchronously
with the card 20. When the card 20 is located at the retracted
position shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the movable member 51 is disposed
at a first position.
The cover plate 7 is made of a metal, and includes a front end 71,
an opening 72, a rear end 73, an integral pressing arm 75, two
integral side walls 76, and a plurality of clamping sheets 77 that
engage respectively the retaining holes 34 in the base plate 3 and
that are straight before assembly of the connector, as shown in
FIG. 1. During assembly, the clamping sheets 77 are bent into an
L-shape, thereby clamping the base plate 3 between the cover plate
7 and the clamping sheets 77. As such, the base plate 3 and the
cover plate 7 are interconnected fixedly, thereby preventing
removal of the movable member 51 from the slide slot 321 in the
base plate 3, as shown in FIG. 2. The cover plate 7 has a front
side, which is formed with a trapezoid notch 711 at a middle
portion thereof that is adjacent to the open front end (35F) of the
groove 35 and that is aligned with the curved notch 315 in the base
plate 3, thereby further facilitating the insertion of the card 20
into the groove 35.
The movable member 51 is formed with a pair of generally straight
integral first and second resilient arms 515, 517, which extend
respectively from the positioning element 511 and the sliding
element 512. The card-ejecting device 5 further includes a coiled
tension spring 53, a link rod 55, and a guide slot 57. The spring
53 is disposed between the movable member 51 and the base plate 3
for biasing the movable member 51 to move forward on the base plate
3. The link rod 55 is disposed between the first and second
resilient arms 515, 517, and has a front end that is connected
pivotally to the movable member 51, and a rear end with an integral
sliding tongue 551 (see FIG. 4) that extends perpendicularly
therefrom.
Referring to FIG. 4, the guide slot 57 is formed in the first side
surface 30 of the base plate 3 for receiving the tongue 551 of the
link rod 55 slidably therein, and has an annular slot portion and a
longitudinal front slot portion 571. The annular slot portion
includes a generally V-shaped rear slot portion 573, and a pair of
generally straight left and right slot portions 575, 576. The
longitudinal front slot portion 571 extends forward from a front
end portion of the left slot portion 575, and has a closed front
end 577. The left slot portion 575 extends rearward and leftward
from a rear end of the longitudinal front slot portion 571. The
generally V-shaped rear slot portion 573 extends rightward from a
rear end of the left slot portion 575, and has a left end 578, a
right end 579 that is generally in line with the longitudinal front
slot portion 571, and a curved middle portion 580 that is located
midway between and in front of the left and right ends 578, 579.
The right slot portion 576 extends forwardly and rightward from the
right end 579 of the rear slot portion 573 to the rear end of the
longitudinal front slot portion 571.
The guiding action of the guide slot 57 and the biasing actions of
the spring 53 and the first resilient arm 515 are described in the
succeeding paragraphs.
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 7, when the movable member 51 is located
at a first position, because the spring 53 is stretched so as to
generate a restoration force that biases the movable member 51
forwardly, the tongue 551 is biased by the spring 53 to the curved
middle portion 580. In this situation, the first resilient arm 515
is pressed by the link rod 55 to flex relative to the positioning
element 511, and thus generates a restoration force that biases the
tongue 551 to the right. When it is desired to eject the card 20,
the front end 21 of the card 20 is pressed inwardly until the rear
end 22 of the card 20 arrives at the rear end (35R) of the groove
35, i.e. a rear limit position of the card 20, thereby moving the
tongue 551 to the right end 579 of the V-shaped rear slot portion
573 with the assistance of the flexed first resilient arm 515, as
shown in FIG. 8. Thereafter, the card 20 is released so that the
tongue 551 is pulled by the spring 53 to the right slot portion
576, as shown in FIG. 9, and subsequently to the closed front end
577 (see FIG. 4) of the longitudinal front slot portion 571, as
shown in FIG. 4, in a direction shown by an arrowhead (A) in FIG. 4
by virtue of the biasing forces of the first resilient arm 515 and
the spring 53. When the tongue 551 moves to the position shown in
FIG. 4, the movable member 51 moves to a second position so that
the card 20 is moved by the abutment portion 513 of the positioning
element 511 to an extended position shown in FIG. 10, where the
first and second resilient arms 515, 517 abut respectively against
two opposite sides of the link rod 55 with no pressure being
applied thereby to the link rod 55. As such, the link rod 55
extends toward the junction between the longitudinal front slot
portion 571 and the left slot portion 575. When the card 20 is
located at the extended position shown in FIG. 10, it can be taken
easily out from the connector.
When it is desired to move the card 20 to the retracted position,
the card 20 is inserted into the groove 35 until the rear end 22 of
the card 20 contacts the abutment portion 513 of the positioning
element 511. That is to say, the card 20 is placed at the extended
position. Then, the card 20 is pressed inwardly from the extended
position shown in FIG. 10 so as to move the tongue 551 into the
left slot portion 575 in a direction shown by an arrowhead (B) in
FIG. 4 by virtue of the guidance of the first and second resilient
arms 515, 517. When the tongue 551 moves to the rear end of the
left slot portion 575, as shown in FIG. 5, the first resilient arm
515 is pressed by the link rod 55 to flex relative to the
positioning element 511 so as to generate a restoration force that
biases the link rod 55 to rotate clockwise, thereby moving the
tongue 551 to the left end 578 of the V-shaped rear slot portion
571, as shown in FIG. 6, in which the rear end 22 of the card 20
reaches the rear end (35R) of the groove 35, i.e. the rear limit
position of the card 20, thereby preventing further rearward
movement of the card 20 on the base plate 3. Subsequently, the card
20 is released so that the tongue 551 is moved by the spring 53 and
the flexed first resilient arm 515 to the curved middle portion 580
of the V-shaped rear slot portion 573, as shown in FIG. 7.
As described above, in order to move the card 20 from one of the
extended and retracted positions to the other one, the steps needed
to be performed include only pressing the card 20 to its rear limit
position and subsequently releasing the same. Accordingly, the
operation of moving the card 20 between the retracted and extended
positions can be accomplished easily by means of the connector of
this invention.
The connector of this invention can also be applied to connection
with a thicker block or case, such as a TV remote controller. Under
this condition, the depth of the groove 35 has to be increased.
With this invention thus explained, it is apparent that numerous
modifications and variations can be made without departing the
scope and spirit of this invention. It is therefore intended that
this invention be limited only as indicated by the appended
claims.
* * * * *